Hilo, on the Big Island Hawaii

Our vow renewal certificate.

Alan and Karen renewing their vows on the ship.

We were given champagne and these lovely leis personally made

by the Hawaiian Ambassador June for our vow renewals.

Hula dancers greeted us as we arrived in Hilo.

Alan standing next to a size 200XL at Hilo Hattie's in Hilo, Hawaii.

Day Five: Hilo-mostly cloudy, 80’
We arrived in Hilo at 9 in the morning and were there until 8:30 that night. One nice thing about going on this cruise that was different from past cruises we’ve taken is being able to stay in port a lot longer. What a pleasure being able to spend an entire day at port and not being rushed to return to the ship after a few short hours.

Hilo is the oldest port of entry with a population of 38,000 and the second largest city in Hawaii situated on the east coast of the Big Island (The Orchid Island). The Big Island is just that—BIG. It accounts for 63% of the state (about 4,000 square miles). Shipping and fishing business is significant. There’s a campus for the University of Hawaii in Hilo as well. The Big Island, as it is referred to, was the first island to be inhabited by Polynesian settlers, around 700 A.D. Hilo is America’s wettest city, with over 120 inches annually, and holds the record for the most rain in 24-hours at 22.3 inches set in 1979. Downtown features a collection of restored Victorian style buildings overlooking a halfmoon bay. Hilo is the gateway to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, America’s most exciting national park. Kilauea volcano has erupted every day since 1983. Its name means, The Spewing. Also, it’s the most watched volcano. The volcanic peak of Mauna Kea is 31,796 feet tall from the ocean floor, 2,700 feet taller than Mt. Everest. Near its top is Lake Wailua, highest in the state and third highest in the USA. The island’s other major peak Mauna Loa (Long Mountain) is the largest active volcano comprised of 10,000 cubic miles of iron-hard-lava—densest and most massive mountain on earth.

Here’s a bit of history that the ‘Freestyle Daily’ provided for their Pacific Heights Restaurant: Hawaii meets the Orient. Hawaiian/Chinese historians commemorate the first arrival of Chinese back to two ships, the Felicia and Iphigenia. Starting in 1852, the Chinese became the first contract laborers to support the growth of the sugar industry. China was selected as the best source of immediate and cheap labor. Around 1882, the Chinese comprised nearly 49% of the total plantation working force, and for a time, outnumbered Caucasians in the islands. Ships used to export heavy goods such as sugar from Hawaii, would often be lightly laden en route to the islands. To be made more seaworthy, bricks were placed in the ship holds to act as ballast. Bricks were often sold and used in construction throughout Honolulu. St. Andrew’s Cathedral on Beretania St. was constructed of sandstone blocks used as ballast in ships from England and took 91 years to complete. When no market could be found for these bricks, they were simply discarded into the Honolulu Harbor. Chinese immigrants would dive for these free materials and use them to construct their restaurants, temples, and stores throughout their 25-acre neighborhood.

We boarded a free shuttle to Wal-Mart to buy a pack of sodas and water. The ship sold them for outrageous prices. The driver was like a tour guide as she pointed things out to us and gave us some interesting facts. We were happy to leave her a tip. She told us where to specifically stand for her to pick us up. I found a pretty blouse to wear with the lovely Hawaiian skirt I bought in Waikiki. It had small hula dancers on the front with real grass skirts made of thread. I also found some nice Hawaiian, which had sayings in English such as Blessed, My Beloved, or Love on one side and in Hawaiian on the other.

We got back to the ship in time for me to go to my second hula lesson where we learned to dance to the other two songs, A Hawaiian Lullaby and Holoholo Kaa. I especially enjoyed learning to tell the story in hula to the Hawaiian Lullaby. June told us the writer of the song is a close friend. It was a very graceful song to dance to. The last song we learned to hula to was a Tahitian song where we learned to shake our bootie. I was asked to do my ‘hiyayayayaya’ yell at the beginning and end of the song.

A Hawaiian Lullaby

Where I live there are rainbows
With life in the laughter of morning
And starry nights
Where I live, there are rainbows
And flowers full of colors
And birds filled with song
I can smile when it’s raining
And touch the warmth of the sun
I hear children laughing
In this place that I love


Holoholo Kaa-Tahitian

Kaua I ka holoholo ka’a
Oni ana ka huila lawe a lilo
Ku u aku oe a pau pon
Na huahelu e kau ana

Alawa iho ‘oe ma ka ‘ao ‘ao
Hu ana ka makani hele uluulu
Mea ‘ole ka pi’ina me ka ihona
Me a kike’e’ alanui

He mana’o ko’u i ke kani ko’ele
Ua haki ka pilina a’o luna iho
He la’I pono ke kaunu ‘ana
He nanea ai ho’I kau

O’ka pa konane a ka mahina
Ahuwale no I ka pae’opua
Ela kaui I ka pi’ina pau
A huli ho’I mai kaua


After the hula lesson it was time for lunch so we had burger at the Hukilau Café. 50 First Dates was on TV so we watched that and took naps. We got up in time to get dressed for the special Latitudes Party. There were all kinds of prizes given away but we weren’t among the winners. That was kind of surprising since there weren’t that many people in attendance. We were served cocktails and appetizers. Since it was about dinnertime we headed to the main dining room. We were told there would be about a 15-minute waiting time, which wasn’t bad but the people behind us got quite upset and ordered the hostess to get the manager. We ended up only having to wait about a total of 2 minutes before being seated. We needed to get our dinner over within the 2-hours we allotted ourselves so we could make it to our vow renewal ceremony at 7:45.

We were prompt and it was nice seeing there were several other couples renewing their vows as well. This made Alan feel more at ease. We had to wait for one couple for an additional 15 minutes. We were given beautiful shell leis, which June had made especially for the occasion. We were told not to put the leis on yet. June called all of us up to the floor and performed the ceremony in Hawaiian fashion, which included a Hawaiian prayer. At the end we said our vows and placed the shell leis over our spouse’s shoulders. After our vows we danced to a song by Don Ho called ‘I’ll Remember You’. We had our photos taken and given two small bottles of champagne. It was a lovely ceremony. Alan wore his green Hawaiian shirt that matched my dress and we wore the garland leis I had bought just for this occasion. I’m so glad Alan agreed to do this, as it was something I wanted to do for our 25th anniversary. The pictures turned out great! I found a kukui lei song that I thought quite appropriate to include here:

A Song about a Bead: Lei Kukui (Hawaiian Anniversary Song)

I’m giving you a kukui nut lei
To celebrate again our wedding day
The years we’ve left behind us
Always will remind us
The joys and tears, the hopes and fears
We faced them, come what may

So I’m giving you a kukui nut lei
It means so many things I want to say
It’s hope and health and sharing
Warmth and light and caring
And all my love forever and a day.

By Victor ‘Lanakila’ Rittenband


At 9:00 was the magic show starring Fred Becker. It was a night of fun and laughter. It wasn’t the best magic show we’ve seen on cruises but was something to do.

At 10:00pm the ship passed by Kilauea so we went to our cabin and grabbed my camera before heading outside to see it. The captain of the ship decided not to go as close as he normally would for safety reasons, as it had begun to rain. It wasn’t rough but he didn’t want to take any chances, especially since it was a volcano-spewing volcano into the ocean. It was an awesome sight! I tried to take pictures but they didn’t turn out so I just bought a postcard. It’s an amazing sight seeing red lava jumping up from the sea and down the side of the mountain. A few months ago it hadn’t been flowing on this side due to being clogged from an earthquake but then another earthquake unclogged it and we were able to enjoy this amazing sight!

We had another enjoyable day in Hawaii and there was a lot more to come. Now it was time to head towards ‘Dreamland’ so we would be fresh for tomorrow’s adventures.

Spending my birthday in Kauai

Cabin decorated for Karen's birthday.

Alan wearing a kukui nut lei.

The NaPail Coastline.

Day Four: My Birthday in Kauai-Mostly cloudy, 81’
I woke up to a beautiful day in Hawaii. It was my birthday and I was thrilled getting to spend it in my favorite place in the world! We went up to the Hukilau Café for our omelets. Did we go to Hilo Hattie’s in Kaui and/or Hilo???? We hopped on board the Hilo Hattie’s free shuttle, as there were a few items I was looking for as gifts. I found a nice green leafy lei with orange flowers on it that I thought would be nice to wear during our vow renewal ceremony the next day. I also found some nice flower hairclips with large hibiscus flowers so I bought several different colors. They’re so pretty and I can wear them when we get back from vacation too. We found green flowered matching dress and shirt that we wore to our vow renewal ceremony as well. When I went to pay for my items the cashier said that my credit card wouldn’t work. I knew it should as I had just checked and it had plenty of money on it. How embarrassing. I stepped out and called Alan and he paid for the purchase with a different credit card. When we got outside the store I called the credit card company and they told me the hotel had double charged us. Alan and I spent the next two hours going back and forth with the Credit Card Company and Royal Hawaiian Hotel to get things straightened out. Apparently, the hotel hadn’t removed the holding charge on our room thus causing double charges, at $350 a night that came to quite a bit of money. With all this going on my stomach was growling and it was pretty hot outside. At first we were going to walk to the Starbucks that was relatively close. Just down from them was a small local café so we decided to there instead. I ordered a BLT and ice tea. It was so refreshing after the walk in the hot sun. I didn’t have my handy little scooter with me so walking kind of did me in. After eating our sandwiches I ordered a sweet roll and it was so tasty. It was nice to cool off in the little café. We didn’t go to Starbucks so we walked back to Hilo Hattie’s to catch the shuttle back to the ship. On the ride to Hilo Hattie’s the driver gave us quite a tour and narrated it all the way to the store.

Since our ship was leaving around 12:30 we had to make sure we were back by 11:30. When we returned I saw a nice little shopping place that was right down the road so I hopped on my scooter and we headed towards it. It had local items for sale and I found a beautiful Jade necklace for my boss, Sieglinde that had string instead of a chain necklace. She loved it and it was adjustable. We went into the store next door where Alan bought a beautiful silver and opal earring/bracelet set. The opals were set into delicate silver turtles. The turtle represents peace and longevity? This was quite the appropriate gift as it was close to our silver anniversary and on my birthday. Alan searched for a Hawaiian birthday card for me and found a blank card with a pretty old fashioned Hawaiian dancing on it. He wrote happy birthday in the Hawaiian language for me after he asked the Hawaiian ambassador on the ship to write Happy Birthday Sweetheart in Hawaiian. That’s really special. In fact when we gave Marie (our friend at Starbucks) her birthday card and earrings from Hawaii I was able to write Happy Birthday and her name in Hawaiian. When we got back to the ship we unloaded all our goodies at our cabin and headed off to get some lunch before I went to my first hula lesson. I wanted to learn all I could so I wouldn’t embarrass myself too much during the Hula Graduation Show at the end of the cruise. I headed up to the Aerobics’ Room and was given the paper with the words to the four songs we would be dancing the Hula to. The names of the songs we danced to were: My Little Gras Shack in Kealakekua Hawaii, The Hukilau Song, A Hawaiian Lullaby, and Holoholo Kaa. One might not realize how much exercise dancing the Hula can be. I got quite the workout and had to sit in my scooter during a lot of the lesson. We worked on the first two songs that day for an hour. June was so patient us, a great teacher!
My Little Grass Shack in Kealakekua

I want to go back to my little grass shack
In Kealakekua, Hawaii
I want to be with all the kanes and wahines
That I used to know long ago
I can hear the old guitars playing
On the beach at Hanaunau
I can hear the old Hawaiians saying
E komo mai no kaua I ka hale welakahao
It won’t be long till my ship will be sailing
Back to Kona
It’s a grand old place that’s always fair to see,
You’re telling me
I’m just a little Hawaiian
As homesick island boy
I want to go back to my fish and poi
I want to go back to my little grass shack
In Kaelakekua, Hawaii
Where the numinumunumu
Go swimming by.

The Hukilau Song

Oh we’re going to a hukilau
A huki huki huki hiki hukilau
Everybody loves the hukilau
Where the laulau is the kaukau
At the big luau
We throw our nets out into the sea
And all the amaama come a
Swimming to me
Oh we’re going to a hukilau
A huki huki huki hukilau
What a beautiful day for fishing
That old Hawaiian way
Where the hukilau nets are swishing
Down in old Lale bay
Oh we’re going to a hikilau
A huki huki huki hukilau

I had a lot of fun learning to hula!

Since we were going to be sailing around the NaPali coastline around 2:30 we hurried to our cabin after my hula lesson. We were able to see from our cabin balcony. Believed by historians to be the first area settled by ancient Hawaiians, this rugged yet beautiful coastline is the island of Kauai’s biggest attraction. As inhospitable as these cliffs appear, they provided the settlers with all the basics of life: fresh water from the mountain streams, native vegetation, fertile ground in the valleys and unparalleled fishing in the vast ocean. Beginning at Ke’e beach and continuing around the north and west portion of Kauai the cliffs extend upward 3,000-4,000 feet! Numerous sea caves, small beaches and high waterfalls add to the beauty and uniqueness of the landscape. Movies such as Jurassic Park, Six Days and Seven Nights, Indiana Jones and South Pacific have been filmed along this coast using the steep cliffs as a dramatic background. Once a person has experienced this place they’ll see why the NaPali coastline is one of the most photographed spots on earth. I got some breath taking pictures as we sailed by.

After sailing past the NaPali coastline it was time for the lei making classes, which June also taught. Alan joined me for the class and we both learned how to make kukui nut leis. I was surprised that the class was free. June taught us not only how to make the leis but the history behind the kukui nut, also known as the candlenut. The kukui nut starts out white, then as it starts turning brown it gets spots on it. Some nuts are even a grayish color. June was so patient and kind while teaching us. Some people had started making their leis before she started and she simply said, ‘some of you have started making them your way, now let me show you the right way to make them’. She showed us the ancient way of knotting the ribbon between each nut. After making our leis we went to the Cultural Center where I bought several different kukui nut kits along with packages of different shells. I was looking forward to creating some different styles of leis when I got home. I bought some kukui nuts that had flowers painted on them. I wasn’t the only one wanting to buy the kits. There was a crowd all the people swarming around the different kukui nut kits. The kits was a good buy at $7 each and June gave us the nice long brown ribbon wire needles to string our leis. I made several leis when I got home and they turned out so nice. I even figured out how to create matching earrings from the shells. When I wore them to work I received a lot of compliments. I gave one of the kits to my friend Marie from Starbucks since she loves making jewelry. Here’s some information about the kukui or candlenut tree.

The candlenut tree is the state tree of Hawaii and the symbol of the ‘Aha Kupuna, the Council of Elders of the Nation of Hawaii. Native to Southeast Asia, it was brought to the islands by early Polynesian settlers. The beautiful silvery-green leafed tree provides shade and many products. It got the name of the candlenut tree due to the ancient practice of stringing husked nuts up a palm frond rib. Then the nuts would be lit from top to bottom (often the duty of the children) to give light into the night. Some uses of the Kukui Tree are:
Nut husks-pierced, sometimes carved and worn in traditional leis (garlands) or carved into pendants. They have also been mounted on gold and used in finer jewelry.
Nuts:
*Note: The seed contains about 50% oil. It ignites and burns like a candle up to 45 minutes.
1. Medicinal: strong purgative. In combination with other plants, used to treat skin ulcers, rheumatic joints, and deep bruises and wounds. There is some evidence that small amounts of the roasted nut reduce blood pressure.
2. Food: the nut is slightly poisonous, but the toxin is removed by roasting. Small amounts of the roasted, chopped nuts are flavored with salt and sometimes chili peppers and eaten as the condiment Inamona.
*Note: raw nuts should not be eaten as they contain a strong purgative. However, roasted seeds are eaten but only in small quantities because of their laxative effect. In Hawaii they are made into a condiment called inamona by pounding them into a paste that is mixed with salt and then mixed with seaweed, minced chili peppers and bite sized cubes of raw ahi fish to prepare a favorite Hawaiian dish called inamona poke. The cooked, mashed seeds are used in similar Indonesian dish called sambal kemiri. Candlenut paste is also used to thicken and flavor Indonesian and Malaysian curries.
3. Soot from burned nut: used to dye tapa, for tattoos, and to stain surfboards. *Note: Tapa is a local cloth made from the bark of the paper mulberry, breadfruit, and other trees.
4. Crushed roasted kernels: spread out on the sea acts like a lens. The Hawaiian proverb, ‘when the kukui nut is spat on the water, the sea is smooth’ is equivalent to ‘pouring oil on troubled waters’.
5. Oil extracted: Used as varnish and to preserve wood, to waterproof fishing nets and paper, as a paint oil, in soap making, as a substitute for rubber products, and as an insulating material. In the early 19th century up to as many as 10,000 gallons were exported, principally to the Russians in Alaska as a substitute for linseed oil.
6. Burned for illumination: On a palm leaf rib, as mentioned earlier, but also in stone lamps and torches.
Flowers: Strung into garlands. Parents chewed the white flowers and then rubbed the paste inside the child’s mouth to heal mouth sores (thrush) of children.
Leaves: Strung into garlands representing Molokai, whose color is silvery green.
Sap: Used for mouth sores, chapped lips, cold sores, and mild sunburns, also a strong purgative.
Inner bark: Yields a dark red dye used for tapa and fishnets; tanning in the dye strengthens nets and preserves them.
Roasted kernels: pulverized by fishermen while on the reef or in canoes, were strewn upon the ocean surface where there were small ripples and waves. The film increased underwater visibility by creating a lens on the water’s surface.
Gum: Strengthens tapa. The Hawaiian proverb “the gum sticks to the candlenut tree: refers to a parasite or child clinging to its mother.
Trunk: Made into canoes and fishing net weights.
*Note: A mashed nut (sometimes the raw kernel, sometimes the roasted) or the sap of the green nut was often used in combination with other traditional Hawaiian medicinal plants, particularly when a purgative for constipation was needed. The potency of this plant is so strong that those with experience in these matters administer these internal remedies very carefully. The late Uncle Harry Mitchell of Keanae recommended the use of kukui nut for high blood pressure. He suggested one teaspoon a day of the ground-roasted kernel. Sometimes this is mixed with pressed garlic juice. For bad cases of ulcers and other skin sores, the baked meat of ripe kukui nuts was pounded and mixed with other plants, such as rip noni fruit. In the treatment of rheumatic joints or deep bruises and wounds, kukui and noni leaves were wrapped around the afflicted places and heat applied by hot packs of salt, sand or rocks wrapped in tapa cloth.

Is it any wonder the Polynesians brought this tree with them? It had a lot of uses. The kukui tree is a classic example of the wisdom of ancient voyaging Polynesians. The plants that they chose to bring on their canoes had to serve many useful purposes. The kukui is such a plant.

By the time we got done with our kit purchases it was time for dinner so we headed down to the dining room. We never made reservations but were always able to get a table without having to wait, especially since we didn’t mind sharing a table. Since it was my birthday Alan had asked the waiter if they could bring me a cake and even though prior arrangements hadn’t been made the waiter came by at dessert time with my cake and sang Happy Birthday to me along with several other waiters. That really impressed Alan and I both. That made my day special. The couple that sat with us enjoyed the celebrating my birthday with us too. After eating our cake we had just enough time to get to the show, ‘On Broadway’. It was a sample of Broadway Shows done by the NCL Production Cast showcasing some of the newest hit shows currently playing such as: ‘Mamma Mia’, ‘Wicked’, ‘Movin Out’, and ‘Hairspray’.

All in all it was a pretty special birthday, one I’ll cherish for a long time! We watched Eye of the Dolphin on our way to ‘Dreamland’.

Kauai

Flame lady in lua show.

Plantation at lua.

Stream at Coco Palms, can't you just picture Elvis getting married in the movie?

Steps in Coco Palms where Elvis sang.

Alan in front of Coco Palms, where the Elvis Presley movie, Blue Hawaii was filmed.

Waterfall used in Fantasy Island.

Movie tour bus that took us to movie locations.

Day Three: Kauai-cloudy, 83’
We arrived in Nawiliwili, Kaua’i around 8am. Kaua’i is known as the Garden Isle and when you visit this island you understand why. Koke’s State Park is famous for its different shades of red and brown rock formations and has been dubbed the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. This beautiful, arid landscape can be seen on the Journey to Waimea Canyon Tour or for those who are a little more adventurous, you can view this 3800-foot deep ravine that winds its way through the island on the Mountain Safari Adventure Tour. We drove there the last time we were here, it’s truly an inspiration. We took a hopper from Oahu and rented a car. I collected some red dirt to use to make a Red Dirt Shirt. They were quite popular in the stores. When we went through the airport security their scanner showed we had some dirt so we told them what we had. They thought it was hilarious what I was planning to do with the dirt and said, “you go for it girl”. This was 15 years ago. If there is an island to explore from the sky, it’s Kaua’i. With so much of the island being inaccessible by road, a helicopter flight is practically the only way to see this magnificent island. Be sure to take in the Waimea Canyon, breathtaking NaPali Coast, countless waterfalls and sheer natural beauty on the Mokihana Helicopter.

We scheduled a Movie Tour where we would visit places where movies had been filmed. Then we would go on a ride through a Kilohana Manor Plantation on their little train, finishing up with the Luau Kalamaku afterwards. We had a departure time around 9:15 in the morning so we had to gobble our breakfast fast. We decided to go to the Hukilau Cafe up on the pool deck thinking it would be quick but what a surprise we got…there weren’t even any trays! We had to carry our dishes one at a time to a table once we finally found one that didn’t have plates piled all over them. Seems the staff didn’t even care about clearing the tables. With this being the ship’s final voyage as the Pride of Aloha a lot of the staff were disgruntled about losing their jobs. I couldn’t even find a spoon to eat my cereal with so I ended up using a fork…good thing I opted for Cheerios. The coffee wasn’t too bad. Alan had some powdery scrambled eggs, sausage and potatoes that were barely edible. I had a banana to help fill me up, as it would be a long time till we ate lunch. There wasn’t any sweetener of any kind on the table or salt & pepper. It seemed like the restaurant staff at the buffet didn’t want to do anything. We heard there would be omelets made at different locations throughout the cruise…that seemed odd but that too ended up being misinformation. There were daily omelets outside at the grill but only one person making them and he had one burner so it naturally took forever. Several times when Alan stood in line for omelets the person standing behind him would leave after finding out Alan was getting one for me too. A person could go to the main dining room for breakfast but it would take a lot longer, usually two hours. We ended up eating all our morning meals in the Hukilau (Buffet) Café.

While reading the ‘Freestyle Daily’ I noticed an article on one of the specialty restaurants, Kahili. The Kahili is a feather-tipped staff, used to signify the arrival of Hawaiian royalty. Think of the Royal Flag-bearer from Medieval Europe. From a distance, you would hear the sound of the conch shell as the royal procession approached. Based upon what color Kahili bared, the people of Hawaii would know which royal family or type of royalty was arriving. Red and yellow Kahilis signified the arrival of the king and/or queen. If a chief or Alii was arriving from any of the Hawaiian Islands, the Kahili’s color would resemble the color that was chosen for each island. For example:

Big Island of Hawaii-Red
Maui-Pink
Kaho’olawe-Gray
Lanai-Orange
Molokai-Green
O’ahu-Yellow
Kauai-Purple
Ni’ihau-White

This restaurant is rich in history and heritage and not just from the miniature Kahilis adorning the room. Each picture on the walls hares the lifestyles of the Hawaiian people and the monarchs that once ruled the islands. Some of the pictures in the restaurant of importance are: Iolani Palace, the only palace on United States soil located on O’ahu and King David Kalakaua & Queen Lili’uokalani, the last two monarchs to rule the Hawaiian Kingdom.

After breakfast we grabbed the camera bag and headed on down to the place assigned to us where we would meet our tour group. Alan checked earlier at the shore excursion desk and they told him we could go down early. We boarded the van and were off to see where movies were filmed. Inside the front of the van by the driver was a video screen. Our guide, Kathy, would play parts of various movies as we passed the filming locations. She told us all kinds of interesting movie-shooting trivia. In the movie ‘Donavan’s Reef’ the director thought the location of a particular area needed palm trees so fake ones were put up. When we were home watching the movie we laughed when it got to the part in the where fake palm trees had been added. Kathy also told us how John Wayne and Lee Marvin weren’t really the best of friends like people thought they were and how some of the fighting scenes in ‘Donavan’s Reef’ were more real than viewers thought. She also told us that a lot of movies were filmed in Hawaii even though they were depicting another location such as like Viet Nam. The Jurassic Park movies were all filmed in Hawaii as well the latest King Kong movie. Besides visiting movie locations we also saw some fabulous waterfalls; one being the famous falls shown in the beginning of the ‘Fantasy Island’ TV show. The highlight of our tour was getting to visit the Coco Palms Resort where ‘Blue Hawaii’ was filmed starring Elvis Presley. Hurricane Iniki destroyed most of the resort in 1992. This was the worst hurricane in Hawaiian history with 140mph winds making it a category 4 hurricane and 6 people died in that storm. Kathy told us that the Historic Society is trying to pass a ruling to have it declared a historical site. They would like to have it turned into a Cultural Center. If that happens it may once again look like the elegant resort it once had been. The tour agency had to obtain special permission for us to visit and it was a truly special treat! When we returned home from Hawaii I had to buy the Blue Hawaii and DVD for our collection. Alan found a small souvenir for me while we were at the Coco Palms. A piece of the destroyed entry building was lying on the ground so he casually picked it up for me. Other places of interest we saw were: the beach where the SS Minnow from Gilligan’s Island was beached, the building used as the airport in 6 Days and 7 Nights, Kong Mountain used at the beginning of the Paramount Movie in Jurassic Park, and the meadows where dinosaurs are first seen in Jurassic Park. We even went through Hanalei where ‘Puff the Magic Dragon’ lived. Other movie location titles included: ‘Lt. Robin Crusoe USN’, ‘Donavan’s Reef’, ‘Outbreak’, ‘South Pacific’, ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’, ‘Lord of the Flies’, ‘Uncommon Valor’, ‘Mighty Joe Young’, ‘The Time Machine’, ‘North’, and ‘The Wackiest Ship in the Army’. Did you know that ‘The Thornbirds’ was even filmed in Hawaii? We stopped for lunch and enjoyed sandwiches, chips, brownies and sodas. It was fun watching the chickens and birds flock around food guests would leave or give them. It was fun seeing the small baby chicks scurrying around their mothers. There was one particularly handsome rooster with brightly colored tail feathers making sure everyone knew that he was King of the roost. After lunch we were back in the van to finish our tour. We returned back to the ship just in time to board the big bus going to the plantation and luau.

It wasn’t far from the ship and once we arrived at the plantation we boarded the small train that chugged its way through the plantation. The guide explained what the various plants were and pointed out the animals such as: Clydesdales, goats, cows, pigs and yes chickens that we saw along the way. The plantation many grew different crops such as: pineapple, sugar cane, bamboo, taro, several kinds of citrus trees, and three different kinds of pine trees. Various produce was also grown. Workers lived right on the premises and a Produce Stand was in the process of being erected. At the luau we were seated in a large outside, circular tent. Outside the tent was an area where various native games were played. It was fun trying them out. One of the games was ulu maika (rolling stone disks this was fun and kind of like horseshoes). There were also venders selling handcrafts and jewelry but I didn’t buy anything this time.

We were seated at a large round table with a family of four and another couple. The family group was rude. We seemed to run into them often throughout the trip. Soon the conch shells were sounded and prayer said signifying the luau was beginning. Each table was called individually by their waiter to get in line where everyone piled their plates high with all kinds of native goodies such as: shredded pork, BBQ ribs, rice, fruit, and other delightful dishes…of course there was Poi too. A lot of people don’t like Poi but if eaten with the salty pork it helps to take the saltiness taste out of it. Most people who are not familiar with Poi try it plain and immediately take a disliking to it, which is understandable as it’s like eating paste. While waiting to be called we enjoyed eating a green salad and purple taro rolls. There was also an appetizer plate at our table with cheese and fruit on it. We enjoyed a nice dinner. The show was different than any we’d ever seen at a luau before. The story started out with Kalamaku, a child of the new land, who carried the fiery torch for one family's future. We enjoyed the story through song and the primal rhythm of Kauai. We were able to see the depths of the family's great effort as they sought the courage and vision that would carry them far over the horizon. It was during the time of epic voyages between Hawaii and Tahiti, along one of the longest sea roads of Polynesia, that the journey takes place. Through laughter, fear, seduction and fire, a new legacy was created, born from the cherished seeds of their ancestors. The theatrical luau culminated with a fantastic fire dream featuring fire poi balls and traditional fire knife dancing. In a climactic ending, Pele the fire goddess, her sister Hiiaka, Lohiau the prince of Kauai, and the fire breathing Moo-dragon women paid homage to Kauai’s mythology. It was quite the show!

Afterwards, I was given a braided stem token made by one of the workers as we waited to board our bus back to the ship. I wasn’t able to see much of the show as the people sitting in front of me made it difficult, though I would get a peek now and then between their heads. We got back to the ship around 9:00 and went to bed, as it had been a very full day for us. I noticed our room had been decorated for my birthday with balloons and banners by our cabin steward and she’d even made up a cute towel animal…it was her only attempt though so I don’t think she knew how to make anything different. At least she tried.

Talking about our cabin steward she was a jovial person, and so upbeat that we wondered if she might be on some kind of ‘happy pill like Prozac’. Diane always had a smile on her face and you could tell she was working hard for some extra big tips. In fact she told us how the staff doesn’t receive their tips and that the cruiseline kept them. We thought her story was kind of fishy so we went to the front desk and inquired about it. They assured us that the staff does in fact get their full percentage of tips. Since the cruiseline decided to automatically charge guests for gratuities on a daily basis we have noticed that the service is not as good. We tried to get the gratuities removed from our on board account but the staff at the Purser’s Desk refused. We were told only if we make a specific complaint showing they did something inadequate, then they might consider removing the gratuity for that day and that staff person would be reprimanded. We prefer doing our own tipping, that way if the person does an exceptional job we can give them more than the usual percentage. We also feel if we don’t receive the service we’re entitled to the staff person should not be compensated as much. The sharing of tips is not a good way to do business and it really should go back to each staff getting what they earn instead of sharing. Diane was always bubbly and helpful. She was going to the Pride of America, which is still a Hawaiian itinerary and American ship. The American staff refuses to go to an international ship due to having to work longer hours for the same pay plus they wouldn’t have a union. A lot of the staff is transferring to the Pride of America, some are staying with the Pride of Aloha, which go back to being the Norwegian Sky doing short cruises to the Bahamas. Since the ship was changed to the Norwegian Sky hardly anything was changed on it. The Hawaiian murals that were on the walls and even the atrium totem pole are still there. There is an additional specialty restaurant, a steakhouse called Cagney’s. If we ever end up taking a cruise on that ship again it will be interesting telling the other guests about the history of the ship and when it sailed in the Hawaiian Islands.

It had been a long day and we were both pretty tuckered out so we called it a day and soon Mr. Sandman was making a visit to us both.

Our Cruise Awaits

Our anniversary cake provided by our travel

agent Mary.

War Memorial

Royal Hawaiian Garden

Alan and Karen enjoying breakfast ont4he beach at theRoyal Hawaiian

with Diamond Head in the background.

Surfers at Dawn

Day Two: Honolulu/Waikiki-Partly cloudy, 81’
After a wonderful night’s sleep we got up at 2:30 wide awake. After all it was already 7:30am in Baltimore. We got dressed and decided to go for a walk along the beach. On the way we explored the hotel some more and discovered some peaceful areas where one could sit and read a book. The ladies restroom was so elegant with a glistening chandelier in the entryway. There were large paintings on the walls throughout the hotel depicting ancient Hawaiian Royalty. It was a exquisite morning and so peaceful. We walked through the Royal Hawaiian Buffet area where we were greeted by one of the waiters preparing for the morning buffet that wouldn’t start for another 4 hours. He offered us both a nice fresh cup of Kona coffee. We thanked him and headed outside. We passed through the ‘surf room’ where pictures of famous surfers hung on the wall along with movie star photos. This is where the photo of Shirley Temple hung. She looked as to be around 6 years old. We sat at one of the tables by the pool enjoying the warm ocean breeze while drinking our first cup of Hawaiian Coffee. Afterwards, we walked on to the sandy beach and touched our toes in the cool water. We frolicked in the ocean with the waves splashing our legs for several minutes. A man riding a tractor was plowing the sand making sure it was perfect for the visitors that would be basking in the sun later that day. The Royal Hawaiian has their own section of beach reserved for their patrons. There are lounges with large pink towels draped over them positioned underneath huge pink and white beach umbrellas.

After our playful ocean visit we walked through the hotel grounds and enjoyed the serenity of the Royal Hawaiian Garden. I imagined Princess Kawananakoa or Queen Lili’uokalani strolling amongst the tall palm trees and lush foliage, listening to the songs of the birds as the ocean greeted them during their morning walks. I even took my sandals off while walking on the grass so I could feel the lushness of the dew-moistened ground beneath my feet. Yes, this was the life! After our walk-about as the Australians would say, we went back to our room and got ready for breakfast. We decided to go to the Royal Hawaiian Buffet. What a spread they lay out! It was the best buffet we’d ever seen! I had fresh, ripe mango, cantaloupe, a small waffle with coconut syrup, grilled potatoes, and some scrambled eggs with bacon. The waiter served us fresh mango-pineapple juice and hot Kona coffee with real cream. We sat outside enjoying the fresh ocean air and listening to the sound of the waves. We laughed at the sight of some pigeons as they got reprimanded for landing on a table close by, upsetting some dishes causing some to fall and break. Poor things, all they wanted was their breakfast too. There were signs on the tables stating NOT to feed the birds and one could see why. They were trained quite well to wait until patrons vacated the tables before swooping down to eat whatever they could find. The little birds could flit in and out without any mishaps unlike the big, fat pigeons. We leisurely ate breakfast taking in the scenery with Diamond Head in the background. Our waiter asked if he could take our pictures when he saw what a nice camera I had. He was a bit of a camera buff so we took the opportunity to have pictures of us taken together. It’s hard for us to get pictures of the two of us together whenever were on vacation. He took three shots including one of us with the pink & white Royal Hawaiian awning and one with Diamond Head in the background even.

After breakfast we walked over to the International Market to see what kinds of goodies they had. I found a fabulous Hawaiian-print skirt and some flower combs to wear in my hair along with a pair of bright orange/red gourds used in hula. I had wanted a pair the last time we were in Hawaii but never bought them. I also found a Happy-Face Hawaiian sticker and placed it on the front of my scooter. We finished with our purchases and went on down the block to Starbucks for our frappacinos. I asked if they had any Hawaiian gift cards but they were all out. Marie, who works at the Starbucks in Baltimore, had asked me to look for one for her as she thought they were pretty. She had seen one of her customers with one so when she heard we were going to Hawaii she saw her chance of getting one. We saw a pretty black and white Collie tied to a tree outside Starbucks and he seemed quite happy lying on the cool grass. Even the dogs in Hawaii were happy and stress-free. We crossed the street to feed the fish at the seawall where we’d seen them on our previous trip. Since I hadn’t saved anything from breakfast to feed them I had Alan buy a biscotti at Starbucks. The fish thought that was quite a treat! Afterwards, we walked back to the hotel room to pack and drive to the port to check our luggage on the ship, then we could spend the rest of the day enjoying Waikiki. We found the port easily and it wasn’t long before a porter came to help us with our bags…especially since Alan knew the secret…waving money in the air.

Our first stop would be at Hilo Hattie’s. As we entered the store we were greeted with shell leis and a refreshing cup punch. Hilo Hattie’s is known for their unique prints and fun shops throughout the Hawaiian Islands. They even have a shop in Huntington Beach, California now. I took advantage of some terrific bargains on some designer dresses. I bought one of their dresses 15 years ago and am still wearing it. Unfortunately, they discontinued that particular print but I found another one that was pretty close to it. Alan told me to go ahead and buy several dresses. Who was I to argue? I love them and they’re so cool and comfortable to wear at work. Alan and I even found a print that came in dresses as well as shirts. He bought a matching shirt to one of my dresses. The shirt he bought was a ladies’ shirt (it didn’t have a canoe on the tag signifying men) and we didn’t notice until we had gotten back to the ship. It ended up okay, as we were able to exchange it later when we returned to Honolulu from our cruise. I also found some dashboard hula dolls; one would go to a young man (Ben) who works at the Starbucks we go to in Baltimore. I found a matching man-woman hula set that held ukuleles to put in our truck. I also picked up a pretty calendar for my mom that I thought she’d enjoy, I could write down important dates on it for her. We took advantage of the coupons I’d found earlier and got some lovely free coffee mugs with pretty four different Hawaiian flowers painted on them. Inside Hilo Hattie’s was a stand where pearls from oyster shells were being sold. The salesman was so funny and the shell I chose, with his help had a beautiful black pearl inside. The salesman tried ever so hard to get me to buy an expensive setting for it but I declined. He wasn’t happy at all. I bought the pearl for $9 and thought I could have it put in the setting I already have that has a pearl in it. When I got home I put it somewhere and for the life of me can’t remember where I put it. I know when it was in my purse I put it in the zippered area but remember taking it out and thought I’d put it in my jewelry box but apparently I didn’t. I hope I can find it. Also missing are all the pennies I got for Diana at the International Market and I do remember putting them all in an envelope marked Pennies from HA. I sure hope I can find the pearl and pennies.

After visiting Hilo Hattie’s we drove on to Waikiki find local hamburger joint called Bigger Burgers at Teddy’s. The coupon map showed it being somewhere close to the zoo but for the life of us we kept going round and round. I was really starting to get hungry and told Alan just to find any old place, other than Jack-in-the-Box. We found a place that looked like it would fit the bill and the prices were really good but all the tables were filled up so we hopped back in the car and proceeded to look for Teddy’s. We were on a quest. We finally found where it should be; the next challenge would be to find a parking spot. We entered the parking lot for the Zoo and Park but they were full by then so we drove over by the beach area. God was with us as we found the perfect parking spot. Since I had my scooter with me the walk wouldn’t be a problem. There was some kind of festival going on at the park in front of the zoo so we decided to check it out since the signs said lots of food. I went four wheelin with my scooter through the grass, going over large banyan tree roots that stuck up from the ground. I was having a blast seeing what my scooter was capable of doing. If we couldn’t find Teddy’s maybe we could be able to find something there. But to our disappointment the food selection wasn’t anything we wanted so we left. We headed across the street and decided to start asking people if they knew where Teddy’s was and sure enough it was right there, just past Starbucks and kind of hidden. It was a cute little hamburger joint and we both ordered teriyaki burgers and fries along with a nice large drink. The place was decorated kind of like a 50’s place with music to match. The burgers were worth the search, I’m glad we waited.

Afterwards, we headed to the park area on the beach. On the way was an adorable American Eskie and I just had to stop and talk to the Eskie’s human friend. He told us his Eskie was a female and how expensive pedigreed dogs went for on the islands…$3500 and up. He said in China they go for as much as $8000! I was finding all kinds of neat statues to photograph including the famous surfer ‘Duke’. Alan enjoyed kicking back while my scooter and I went exploring. He was getting plum tuckered out trying to keep up with me; after all he did need to take it easy so. I told him to find a nice, shady spot to relax while I headed to the end of the beach towards Diamond Head. We had seen some kind of big building towards Diamond Head and wondered what it could be so away I zoomed, my Red Chariot and me. It was a gorgeous day and riding around on my scooter was great. Along the way I took some snapshots of surfers. I also discovered a hut selling food and cold drinks. I would definitely remember this place. I made it almost all the way down to the end when I came across a dead end with soft gravel. I thought I could get through the couple of feet of thick gravel…but I was wrong. I got stuck. I had to get off and pull the scooter to the sidewalk. At first I thought I had done my chariot in but luckily, it still worked. I made a mental note to myself, “Do not go on gravel”! The large building we had seen was some kind of hotel/condo and right next to it was the War Memorial Arch. Since I had my camera I took pictures of it to show to Alan. I could see people at the top of Diamond Head so I used my zoom lens and captured the adventurous visitors who had climbed to the top. The last time we were in Hawaii we took on the challenge and believe me, it is a challenge. I’d been gone about an hour so I headed back where I had left. Alan and told him all about my escapades. He told me he was wondering what had happened to me. It was quite warm so we headed to the little Snack Hut to get some cool drinks.

We got up and decided it was time to head back to return the car and hop on board the ship. It was nice arriving in Hawaii a day early and having 2 whole days on Oahu before embarking since the ship didn’t leave port until 8pm! When we returned the car we were given a ride to the ship in their shuttle bus. We embarked the ship around 6pm and went straight to our cabin (No.9040). What a surprise when we arrived. Sitting on the desk was a beautiful cake saying ‘Happy Anniversary’. Next to the cake was a note with the message from our travel agent, Mary. What a thoughtful gesture, too bad we hadn’t checked in earlier as it was an ice-cream cake and had started going to mush. There were huge strawberries on top of the cake weighing it down but we managed to scoop some of the tasty treat and enjoyed it before it melted entirely. I tried scooping the melted ice cream cake into glasses to save for later, however storing it in the refrigerator proved to be a bad idea. We figured the kitchen waiter probably thought we had boarded the ship when we dropped off the luggage around noon. Oh well, like the saying goes, “it’s the thought that counts”, right?

After eating our cake we went down to the main dining room for a nice meal. Since it was ‘Freestyle Cruising’ we weren’t assigned any particular time or table. We did end up sitting with other guests during our evening meals at the main dining room even though they were never the same people. The food at the main dining room wasn’t anything special so I usually ordered the Wahoo fish with Caesar salad. Chilled soup was served only once during the entire cruise, which I always looked forward to. Since I didn’t keep extensive notes on this trip I don’t recall what I ate on each of the nights at sea. We chose not to eat at the specialty restaurants, as their menus didn’t warrant the extra per person charge. The three specialty restaurants were: the Pacific Heights serving Mandarin & modern Japanese cuisine, the Royal Palm Bistro offering classic French bistro fare and the Kahili serving a combination of Italian dishes both classical and modern. Their menus never changed throughout the week as in most ships in their fleet. The menu in the specialty restaurants use to be offered in the main dining rooms so there was never an extra charge. The cruise line is making changes to try to off set their rising costs. I can understand this but seasoned cruisers won’t return when service goes down. Gratuities are automatically charged to guests’ onboard accounts, which does away to giving cabin stewards and restaurant staff what you think want to. The staff splits all the gratuities amongst them thus if someone is lazy they get as much as someone who works hard. We’ve seen service go way down since NCL this. Guess the cruise line expect business from first-time cruisers or people whose expectations aren’t high. With Freestyle Cruising one can get away with wearing about anything they decide to wear and never have to dress up. That’s okay if you like that kind of casualness but when taking a cruise Alan and I have always enjoyed dressing up, at least during evening meals. The formal nights were always fun too. We like to dress casual but that should be saved for daytime and when off the ship, not in the main dining rooms. NCL’s philosophy is ‘resort casual and they say guests find there are places for their style all over their ships, day and night. Daytime is basically fine since they know guests probably head for the pool or out for a fun shore excursion. Casual shorts, jean, tops and sundresses are welcome everywhere, including the main dining rooms. This was a bit much. Swimsuits can even be worn to the poolside grill or the buffet. NCL says resort casual dress can be worn in all the lounges. They say it’s the guests’ vacation and that guests can dress anyway they choose to. What ever happened to dressing up, at least for meals? It looks like NCL is taking the elegance out of cruising and making it a free-for-all. Sure it’s nice being able to dress casual but what is casual for one person can be risqué to others, lines need to be drawn. Since Alan and I disagree with NCL’s viewpoint on this we have chosen to sail with other cruise lines that do enforce a more conservative dress code. NCL is geared towards a whole different type of vacationer now, which is okay for some, just not us.

I was a bit disappointed that we didn’t receive leis when we boarded the ship like our agent said we would, guess she didn’t know we wouldn’t. Here we pictured someone greeting us with beautiful leis and saying Aloha as we boarded the ship and then sailing off to the tune of ‘Aloha Oie’. Guess that only happens in the movies. Actually there are ships that do that, just not any of NCL’s. After dinner we went back to our cabin and unpacked. One look around the cabin and we knew the room would need to be rearranged. Alan proceeded to move the twin beds, loveseat, table and chairs around the room to give us more room for the scooter. It was hilarious. Alan wondered what our cabin steward, Kathy, would think but she told us we weren’t the first guests that had ever done that. It was hard work; first Alan put the couch on top of the beds and moved the beds not only over but also around, facing towards the door going out to the hallway. He finally did it. The closet space was small but I managed to arrange all our clothes. The bathroom didn’t have much room to put things; there was a lot of wasted space. It wasn’t very large but it wasn’t the smallest one we’d ever had either. It was kind of funny as thought there wasn’t a hair dryer in our cabin. The last day when I was checking all the cubbies and drawers in the cabin I found it inside one of the drawers, stuck way in back. This was the first cruise where we didn’t dress up in formal attire. Alan brought along a lot of nice Hawaiian shirts and slacks to wear in the evening.

After unpacking it was about time for the nightly production at the Stardust Theater called ‘The Welcome Aboard Show’. It gave everyone a taste of some of the entertainment that would be going on throughout the cruise such; one of the entertainers was comedian, Bill Hildebrandt. I admit he did make me laugh. The musicians and dancers gave a little taste of what to expect but Alan and I agreed their performances were below par from what NCL use to have. The singers seemed to be off-key and the dancing wasn’t anything special. Maybe this was a new production crew I thought until I recognized one of the dancers from a cruise we’d taken a year ago on another NCL ship out of NY City. Guess, we’re use to the Dancing with the Stars dancers and critics. The Hawaiian Ambassador for this cruise did some relaxed hula dancing to one of the singers who sang during the show. She was very good and a truly sweet person. Her name was Iune u’imau mahealani June Teruya. Now that’s a mouthful isn’t it? She said we could call her June. She was also in charge of the lei-making and hula classes. We went to most of the shows and enjoyed the entertainment most of the time. We missed out on the Hawaiian Cultural Show at the pool since we were having dinner. It was a Ho’okipa Aloha Show that combined hula and music and included interesting Hawaiian culture through the Ho’okipa Aloha, which translates to ‘Gift of Aloha’. It sounds like something we would’ve enjoyed had we known about it. That was something that happened a lot throughout this cruise, not getting the correct information to enjoy an activity that was going on.

When the evening show at the Stardust Theater was over we visited one of the lounges and ordered a drink for each of us. The bartender didn’t want to make any ‘noisy’ drinks (needing to be blended in a blender), as it would interrupt the singer even though the singer was background music. I think the main reason it upset Alan so much was that he was going through withdrawals from not smoking. Needless to say, we never visited that lounge for the duration of the cruise. We headed back to our cabin. Alan learned that getting upset like he did could have serious consequences. He ended up having to take a Nitro. It worked quickly and soon we were off to Dreamland.

Our Hawaiian Vacation

A Shirley Temple Cocktail from the Royal Hawaiian. They created this drink for none other than Shirley Temple herself

Alan and Karen standing by the statue of the famous surfer 'Duke' on Waikiki Beach.

The Surfer Room inside the Royal Hawaiian Palace in Waikiki. If you look closely you'll see a photo of Shirley Temple as a child.

A display of dresses actually worn during the opening night of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel.

The Royal Hawaiian Hotel. This is the garden area and our room was directy above the Royal Hawaiian Sign on the hotel.

The lei given to Karen as greeted at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel.

HAWAIIAN VACATION
May 3rd, 2008

This year Alan and I celebrated our 25th anniversary by going to Hawaii and taking a
7-day cruise around the islands of Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island of Hawaii. We left Baltimore in the wee hours of the morning on May 3rd and arrived around 30 minutes past noon (Hawaiian Time). There’s a five-hour difference so it was actually around 5:30pm and our bodies were feeling it somewhat. I had planned on sleeping a bit on the plane but only napped once I think. The seats we had on the planes were terrific! On the first leg of the trip we sat right behind first class so we had plenty of legroom. On the second plane we sat right behind the restrooms and once again had plenty of space to stretch out, plus being by the bathrooms was an added bonus! When we had arrived at BWI and checked in the lady switched our seats for us allowing for that extra comfort. The airport was very accommodating with my electric scooter too and I was able to ride it right up to the plane and they checked it and had it ready for me in Houston so I could use to get to the next gate. It sure made it a lot easier for me to get around. I definitely got my money’s worth from my scooter on this trip. We should’ve purchased one ages ago. While on the plane, Continental served us Chex with Honey cereal, milk, and very green bananas. I didn’t eat any of it as I didn’t want anything sweet that early in the day and the bananas were so green you couldn’t even peel them. I imagine they were probably ripe enough for the afternoon passenger though.

When we arrived in Houston I noticed the strangest looking cloud formations ever. Even the flight attendants commented how they’d never seen anything like it either. The clouds were dark and looked as though they were rotating and I thought how it might be the beginning of a tornado since there were storms we had been flying around that morning. I wish I could’ve gotten a picture of it but the window that we were looking through was in the area of the aisle that passengers walked to and from the plane and the flight attendants had to get the plane we’d just disembarked ready for the next flight. I never did find out what that cloud formation was but it was huge and eerie looking. On the way to our gate we passed a Starbucks and enjoyed our java drinks. I had my usual ‘frothy latte’ and Alan had his peppermint-mocha frappacino. We also got bananas to eat.

During the second flight we were served steak n cheese pizza (which was actually very good), peanuts, Cape Cod potato chips, and brownies. Several hours later we were served ham and cheese cold sandwiches but I chose not to eat them. I did eat some of the carrots but of course Alan couldn’t. We had brought along some tuna lunch meals that we snacked on just prior to them serving the sandwiches. The lemon pepper tuna was the best on crackers. I’m glad we were able to find these the night before our trip. We were told that there wouldn’t be any meals served on the plane so we had packed something to eat. Continental treats their customers well. Movies were shown during the long 11-½ hour trip. We watched one called ‘Final Season’ with Sean Aston in it. He played a high school assistant baseball coach that took the team to championships. It is a true story about a small country town and the school district deciding to close the school and transfer kids to larger schools. I’ll have to see if I can find this movie at Blockbuster

When we left Baltimore it was dark and chilly and when we arrived in Honolulu it was sunny and warm. At least we dressed accordingly so we didn’t have to swelter as soon as getting off the plane. My scooter was ready at the airport and we found our way to baggage pretty easy. After collecting our luggage Alan caught a shuttle to Thrifty Car Rental to pick up the car I’d reserved for us. It wasn’t too long before he arrived. While he was gone I checked out some of the local brochures to see what kind of deals were offered on meals/tours and found some coupons for Hilo Hattie’s. Alan was given a PT cruiser and wasn’t too happy about getting it since I’d ordered a mid-size car. He changed his mind though when he saw that it was able to accommodate all our luggage and the scooter easily. I found a map in one of the brochures I’d been browsing through while waiting for Alan to get back with the car, which helped Alan with directions from the airport to the Royal Hawaiian Hotel in Waikiki. So far, so good we thought until we got closer to our hotel. Then the traffic slowed way down to a crawl and taking a wrong turn proved to delay us another half hour. We finally found it and drove up to the front of it. A young gentleman took our keys and unloaded all our luggage and the scooter before parking the car. We were able to use the ramp that lead to a secret hall and onto the hotel lobby. We checked in and went up to our room. It was huge and so elegant. In just a few minutes our luggage arrived. We checked the room out and the view was spectacular overlooking the garden. The ceilings must have been at least 18 feet high. Everything was done in a pink-coral. We browsed around the hotel and then went to the beach bar where we ordered the Pu-Pu platter and drinks while listening to music. Alan had a Mai Tai and I had a Pink Hawaiian and then tried a Lava Drink. That would hold us till dinner. There was a wedding about to take place soon right on the beachfront. The area was roped off and white chairs were set up. There was a pretty white flowered arbor where the couple would stand. A buffet was set up next to the white trimmed tables. How romantic to get married at the Royal Hawaiian overlooking the ocean!

We were in Hawaii and on vacation! The Aloha Spirit had ascended upon us. We took a walk around the hotel and took in all the historic photographs on the walls. There was a window display showing a photograph of Opening Day and even had a couple of the dresses worn on display. What a gala event that must have been! The entire hotel was so elegant. I found myself daydreaming what it must have been like back in those days. Shirley Temple had visited as a child and it was here that the drink was created and named after her. Of course I did order one of these drinks and it was truly the best Shirley Temple cocktail I had ever been served! Alan and I decided to eat dinner at Dukes, which was next door. As we walked out to the street we soon discovered why there was so much traffic earlier…the Spam Fest! Who would’ve guessed? There was even a Spam mascot. There were some adorable young girls dressed in hula outfits that were lined up to go on stage to perform. We didn’t stick around to watch as it looked as if it might start raining, which wouldn’t have been good for my scooter. We headed up towards Dukes. The trail leading there took us by some local shops where I found the most adorable Hawaiian dolls. I thought how nice they would be for Emily’s collection. Alan said we could look at them after we returned from our cruise a week later. After all, I might find them a bit less expensive. At Dukes we were seated where we could look out over the beach. It was an open-air restaurant and the ambiance was upbeat. There were all kinds of pictures of the Duke with other surfers and stars like John Wayne. Duke was not only a champion surfer but a swimmer as well and went to the Olympics for the U.S. He was loved by all. I ordered moonfish with garlic mashed potatoes and the salad bar. There were even purple sweet rolls, which are made from the taro root. We were so full from dinner that we couldn’t eat any of their famous Hula Pie. This consists of macadamia nut ice cream piled high on a chocolate cookie crust and topped with chocolate fudge, whipped cream, and more macadamia nuts. It’s sized for sharing, but rarely goes unfinished! Even though Kimo’s originally created this it’s now a favorite at most of Duke’s restaurants. After such a satisfying dinner we were both ready for bed and it was only 7:30. We crawled into bed and were sound asleep almost as soon as our heads hit the pillow